It is official, rec crab season on hold

Just saw it on the news. Recreational season is delayed with no open date yet. They will be testing crabs and once found safe they will open recreational season.

thanks for the info.. 

180 days or until tests determine they are not toxic...

Sac Bee article...

The California Fish and Game Commission voted Thursday to delay opening of the crab-fishing season as officials scramble to deal with a coastal algae bloom that’s left Dungeness crabs with a potentially fatal toxin called domoic acid.

Meeting by conference call, the commission voted 3-0 to delay the recreational crabbing season, which was supposed to begin Saturday. Officials said the season would open once the toxins, which the crabs flush out of their systems, are reduced to safe levels.



The opening of the commercial crab fishing, which is supposed to open Nov. 15, is up to the director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Craig Shuman, the department’s marine regional manager, said the department is “working as fast as we can” and a decision will come in a couple of days.

The vote came two days after the Department of Public Health issued an advisory warning against consumption of Dungeness and rock crabs. Mild cases of domoic acid poisoning can cause vomiting, diarrhea and dizziness; severe cases can bring cardiac arrest, seizures or even death.




“This is something we absolutely have to do,” said Fish and Game Commission member Eric Sklar.

The season will stay closed until the Department of Health and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment say the crabs are safe to eat. “When it’s clear, we’ll get the fisheries open as soon as possible,” said Sonke Mastrup, the executive director of the commission.

The problem is being caused by a massive coastal bloom of algae, which in turn has been caused by the warming of ocean temperatures triggered by the El Niño weather pattern. An advisory was also issued for the southern coast of Oregon.

The commission also voted to temperaraily shutter the recreational rock crab season, which is supposed to be open year round.




The decision affects a commercial fishing industry that’s already dealing with a shortened season for Chinook salmon, a casualty of the state’s horrific drought. It also creates problems for scores of California consumers who regard crab as a seasonal treat, particularly around the winter holidays. Numerous nonprofits raise funds at crab feeds over the winter.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article43186440.html#storylink=cpy

3-0?  Who abstained from voting or is that procedural?

Sac Bee article...

The opening of the commercial crab fishing, which is supposed to open Nov. 15, is up to the director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Craig Shuman, the department’s marine regional manager, said the department is “working as fast as we can” and a decision will come in a couple of days.

This dont make any sense, they are closing recreational without date of possible opening yet, they havent decide whether to delay or not the commercials? Thats a way to screw up recreational folks dont you agree?.

Sac Bee article...

The opening of the commercial crab fishing, which is supposed to open Nov. 15, is up to the director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Craig Shuman, the department’s marine regional manager, said the department is “working as fast as we can” and a decision will come in a couple of days.

This dont make any sense, they are closing recreational without date of possible opening yet, they havent decide whether to delay or not the commercials? Thats a way to screw up recreational folks dont you agree?.

i highly doubt commercial will open anytime soon. way too much risk to the public.

3-0?  Who abstained from voting or is that procedural?

There were two commissioners not present at the meeting.  That's why the 3-0 in favor of the delay.

i highly doubt commercial will open anytime soon. way too much risk to the public.
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Last thing commercial fleet wants is a headline about poisoned consumers. Quite detrimental to business. They will not push for a season opening till tests say safe to eat.

From what I understood, the commission that held the emergency meeting this morning was only for the recreation crabbing.  There is another commission working on the commercial crabbing.  One of the concerns that was brought up during the meeting, was that the rec crabbers would still get their week of crabbing in before the commercial boats started.  From what I heard, it sounded like they were going to try to keep the rec/commercial staggered openers.

It is closed for 180 days  or until they test not dangerous anyone wanna bet that it doesnt open at all this year? Well at least all those thousands of whales will stop being caught in the crab trap lines. Ooops thats right no data to support that any whales are caught in crab trap lines at all. Sure sounds like a good thought though so it must be true.

It is closed for 180 days  or until they test not dangerous anyone wanna bet that it doesnt open at all this year? Well at least all those thousands of whales will stop being caught in the crab trap lines. Ooops thats right no data to support that any whales are caught in crab trap lines at all. Sure sounds like a good thought though so it must be true.

don't be such a pessimist.  the commercial crabbers have plenty of money to be lobbying FGC to make sure it opens as soon as it can.

Do I take that as an acceptance of my bet? I hate being pessimistic but has anyone beside the State tested the crabs and what are those results? How about a comparison of last 10 years DFG test results and this years? Just trying to understand why now it is so high and was not a problem that I ever recall happening before. It would be nice to be informed and not  just told it is very dangerous. Has Department of Health and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment  been in charge of this for the last  30 years?

180 days or until tests determine they are not toxic...

This came from the Contra Costa Times article this morning

Do I take that as an acceptance of my bet?

I'll be yer huckleberry...